cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Compromise Wins City Council Approval
Marijuana Compromise Wins City Council Approval
Posted by CN Staff on February 21, 2006 at 17:50:00 PT
By Matthew LeBlanc of the Tribuneís Staff
Source: Columbia Daily Tribune
Missouri -- The Columbia City Council last night approved a revised marijuana possession ordinance that supporters say will prevent felons and repeat drug offenders from taking advantage of the lawís lenient sentencing guidelines.However, detractors of the updated law called it disingenuous and accused council members of shortchanging Columbia voters who overwhelmingly approved the original pot law in 2004.
"I donít think you should be deciding what the people have already decided," said Tony Nenninger, a law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia. "Itís the people you should listen to."The original law decriminalized small amounts of marijuana - 35 grams or 1ľ ounces - and reduced the penalty for possession to a $250 fine. Violators also do not get a criminal record under the ordinance.A compromise agreement negotiated last year between Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Crane and attorney Dan Viets keeps those initial measures in place but adds four exemptions to the law:* Anyone found guilty of a felony in the preceding 10 years.* Anyone found guilty in state or municipal court of a Class A misdemeanor, other than misdemeanor marijuana possession or possession of marijuana paraphernalia, within the preceding five years.* Anyone found guilty in state or municipal court of misdemeanor marijuana possession on two or more prior occasions during the preceding five years. * Anyone arrested on misdemeanor marijuana charges who also is being held on suspicion of a felony or another misdemeanor offense chargeable only in state court.Viets, a chief supporter of the measure, began meeting with Crane to iron out the compromise after members of the Columbia Police Officers Association began circulating a petition in an effort to bring the issue before voters again. The four exemptions to the law first were suggested in a September letter from Viets to Mayor Darwin Hindman.Nenninger and another man who spoke at the meeting last night, Jonthon Coulson, said the deal amounted to back-room dealing and that the compromise casts aside the will of the voters.Others who spoke praised the agreement and the councilís approval of the revised ordinance.In other business last night, the council agreed to rezone 12 acres around College Avenue and Broadway for Stephens College. The college had asked the city to zone the land for commercial use to help with an expansive restoration effort on the campus. The new designation eliminates parking and other land-use requirements."It gives a lot of flexibility to property owners and businesses," Second Ward Councilman Chris Janku said of the zoning designation. "I think" Stephens "needs that flexibility. I think itís perfectly appropriate."Source: Columbia Daily Tribune (MO)Author: Matthew LeBlanc of the Tribuneís Staff Published: Tuesday, February 21, 2006Copyright: 2006 Columbia Daily TribuneContact: editor tribmail.comWebsite: http://www.columbiatribune.com/Related Articles:City Council Revises Pot Ordinancehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21613.shtmlMarijuana Ordinance Defendedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20538.shtmlPolice Pot Petition Challengedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20537.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by museman on February 22, 2006 at 12:22:01 PT
marijuana use and freedom
Are apprently so linked together, it is important for the power elite to insure their own future power, to protect their corruption, and most importantly CREATE REVENUE.This just so sickens me, if I didn't know that this war was actually being slowly won (contrary to appearances) I would give up completely and go back 'underground.'The hypocrisy here is just staggering. This whole meth issue was created by the DEA and CIA, who knows who else, just for such a purpose. They taught their pidgeons the old Nazi methods of 'cooking in the field.' They told them the ingredients to use, and then they farm out their pidgeons as informants and infiltrators. The meth users of course are protected by the local law enforcement for this reason.I know, I see it every day-right next door. The cops have been there 4 times this month, nobody is eve arrested, but they come and get boxes of 'something'. Of course whent hecops arent' around the local users are lining up to get their next fix. People in this country need some serious education in reality. I'm afraid they're only gonna get it when the disasters overtake them, and they are forced to 'get real.'
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Comment #5 posted by jose melendez on February 22, 2006 at 11:59:11 PT
exculpatory evidence unlawfully supressed
" . . . the reason there is a federal law against these drugs . . . "http://tinyurl.com/jcxwy" . . . the reason that most communities have been tougher about both supply and demand is, we have to keep both down . . . "http://library.findlaw.com/2000/Nov/1/130252.html" . . . and we canít send the signal to young people that drugs are O.K. . . . "http://www.utexas.edu/features/archive/2004/anti_drug_ads.html" . . . when we have these enormous consequences . . . "The effect of cannabinoid exposure on tumor growth and the anti-tumor immune responsehttp://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/2004-fac/mckallip.htm" . . . that we are trying to deal with . . ."Role of cannabinoid CB1 receptors and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the gut and systemic anti-inflammatory activity of SR 141716 (rimonabant) in rodents.http://tinyurl.com/kxu4a - - -"This year is also likely to see Pfizer's first foray into major cancer treatments with Sutent, an oral medication that kills tumors. The FDA granted Sutent fast-track review status last August based on unique properties that allow it to "starve" cancerous tumors of protein." http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/01/23/8366988/ - - -Withholding Exculpatory Evidence"Mr. Van Woudenberg argues the prosecutor failed to provide him with exculpatory and material second statements from witnesses Clem Edward Garvin and Hunter Odell Rose in violation of the rule set forth in Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963). On appeal, this argument is conclusory and unsupported. For this reason alone, the argument could be rejected. See Moore, 195 F.3d at 1180 n.17. Nevertheless, because this is a capital case, we will address the claim."To establish a Brady violation, petitioner bears the burden of showing that the prosecution suppressed material evidence favorable to petitioner." Moore, 195 F.3d at 1164. Suppressed exculpatory evidence is material "only if there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different. A `reasonable probability' is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome." Pennsylvania v. Ritchie, 480 U.S. 39, 57 (1987) (citation omitted). "The question is not whether the defendant would more likely than not have received a different verdict with the evidence, but whether in its absence he received a fair trial, understood as a trial resulting in a verdict worthy of confidence." Kyles v. Whitley, 514 U.S. 419, 434 (1995)." http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=10th&navby=case&no=987167
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 22, 2006 at 08:16:51 PT
Hope
They have a one track mind. Lock everyone up and that will fix the drug problem.
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Comment #3 posted by Hope on February 22, 2006 at 08:10:10 PT
To what "enormous consequences" does he refer
ďI think it is very important not to lose sight of the fact that the reason there is a federal law against these drugs, the reason that most communities have been tougher about both supply and demand is, we have to keep both down and we canít send the signal to young people that drugs are O.K. when we have these enormous consequences that we are trying to deal with,Ē says Walters.The prison population and the largest percentage of Americans in history held in cages?
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Comment #2 posted by Hope on February 22, 2006 at 08:06:40 PT
The Combat Meth Act ... Patriot Act
I really hate that we have to give our earnings to those people to do these things to our fellow citizens.The Patriot Act...is a lie ... from the title. We obviously have to live with their indignities against the people...but we don't have to like it.Hopefully, "It does not do nothing to complain."
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 22, 2006 at 07:16:16 PT
Related News Article from KRCG.com
Drug Czar in Columbia***Tuesday, February 21, 2006 COLUMBIA -- Columbia city council members have revised their marijuana ordinance so first time offenders have lesser penalties. By a vote of six to one last night, city leaders approved a change calling for the prosecution of an offender, but no sentence if the offender does not have a repeat offense for one year.The nationís drug czar John Walters was in Columbia to show support for Senator Jim Talentís anti-meth bill. We asked Walters for his opinion on Columbia having a marijuana ordinance that calls for fines instead of jail time. Walters says federal laws against marijuana send a message to young people that smoking pot has enormous consequences and could lead to other drug use. ďI think it is very important not to lose sight of the fact that the reason there is a federal law against these drugs, the reason that most communities have been tougher about both supply and demand is, we have to keep both down and we canít send the signal to young people that drugs are O.K. when we have these enormous consequences that we are trying to deal with,Ē says Walters.Columbia council members revised their marijuana ordinance after receiving criticism from the Columbia Police Officers Association. Supporters of the ordinance say council members should not have made any changes without voter approval.Walters and Talent announced the Bush administrationís support of the Combat Meth Act. The duo made a stop at the Boone County Health Department. The bill restricts the sale of products containing pseudoephidrine in pill, liquid and gel cap forms. Cole County Sheriff Greg White was one of several law enforcement officers giving their local support. ďIf you see a meth problem in schools, itís because it is already in the homes, the neighborhoods and our towns. I think we will see greater protection in place, as well as we will see the ability to produce it locally going down dramatically,Ē says White. ďIt will cut down on meth labs nationally, probably by about seventy to ninety percent is the best guess of law enforcement. That means getting rid of the toxic waste homes, helping the kids who have been growing up in those situations and cutting down on the number of fires,Ē says Senator Talent.The Combat Meth Act is currently a part of the Patriot Act. Congress is expected to pass the legislation early next month.http://www.krcg.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=2716
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